There have been a number of different types of steel friction lock police batons manufactured since about 1967. Typical friction locking batons include three telescoping shafts with an end cap at the handle end and a steel tip at the other end. Such batons are usually carried in the collapsed form (held by an internal retaining spring) and when flicked open (extended) the baton is locked open by matching tapers, which lock together by friction. A typical taper used is a standard Morse Taper similar to that used on tools such as drill press bits and lathe tail stocks. When the baton sections are locked together, the tapers must be separated with a sharp blow on a hard surface, such as forcing it briskly on a hard surface such as concrete or tile.
Because a sharp blow is required to close friction lock batons, the tip of the baton must also be hard, in order to fully transfer the sharp shock of the blow back to the tapers. This is why all baton tips have been hardened steel balls (or like shapes), which are threaded into the small telescoping shaft. Hardened steel balls may do more damage to the subject it is used on. There is more likelihood of cutting or puncturing an individual""s skin. A tip on the baton made of a softer material, which would not cause the same amount of damage, would not allow the tapers to separate since the softer material would absorb the sharp blow.
Friction locking police batons with replaceable tips have been described in at least one prior art patent. See for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,407,197, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the ""197 patent, an xe2x80x9co-ringxe2x80x9d is sometimes used on the outer periphery of the tips (see, FIG. 4) to prevent rattling of the baton pieces when closed.
One embodiment of this invention is a xe2x80x9csafety tipxe2x80x9d for police batons. This tip has been designed for use on steel friction lock batons, replacing the commonly used solid steel tips, with a solid steel core material, either substantially, or completely surrounded by a softer, safer, compressible and/or flexible material. As used herein, the terms xe2x80x9csubstantially surroundedxe2x80x9d mean that at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 80%, and most preferably about 90% of the periphery of the baton tip is covered with the compressible material.
The combination design of the safety tip (steel core and outer soft material) still allows the tapers of such batons to be unlocked by transferring the energy of the sharp downward blow through the core of the tip, to the tapers.
Another embodiment of the present invention is another safety tip for police batons. This tip is longer than the basic safety tip, and it has been designated as the xe2x80x9cpower safety tipxe2x80x9d. The power safety tip has advantages over the basic safety tip as follows:
By their nature, steel friction lock batons are weighted more in the handle section of the baton than the small striking end. This is due to the construction of three steel tubes, the handle the largest and the small extended end the smallest. There are special requirements for closing the baton as stated above.
The use of a longer power safety tip moves the center of gravity of the baton toward the tip end by forming the tip with the same steel core/resilient outer cover design as described above, except that in the power safety tip, both the length and diameter of the tip are increased. This feature adds weight to the tip end, thereby moving the center of gravity toward the tip to give great impact on the striking end. Also it extends the baton several inches longer for greater reach.
By employing the same basic design as used for the basic safety tip, a baton employing the power safety tip will close properly and be safer than a standard friction lock baton against cutting etc. due to the rubber-like material used to cover the steel tip. The larger steel tip will give more weight, but must not be a greater diameter than the handle diameter so that it will fit into the standard baton holders.